Anchor hoist



A. DOWRELIO Feb. 16, 1954 ANCHOR HOIST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1951 IN V EN TOR. 41v To: DOWREL/O AT TOR/VEYJS A. DOWRELIO ANCHOR HOIST Feb. 16, 1954 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1951 IN VENTOR. ANTONE DOWREL/O BY ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNIT ED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,669,427 ANCHOR noI-s'r Antone Dowrelio, Crockett, Calif.

Application'M-ay 28, 1951, Serial No..228;63il

.2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in anchor hoist. More particularly the invention relates to a hoist :for a small 'vessel which is driven by a motor and may be manually controlled to raise the anchor under the accurate control of the operator at a standard or slower speed. The device may also be used to check speed of descent of theanchor.

.Another feature of the invention is the provision ofa guide through which the anchor chain passes, said guide extending out over the side of the vessel so that the anchor does not mar the sides of the vessel when being raised or lowered. Said guide is pivotally mounted on the deck of the vessel so that the anchor may be swung up over the side when the hoist hauls up the anchor. A limit switch is actuated by the guide when it reaches .upper position to stop the hoist motor when the anchor is in storage position.

Still another feature of theinvention is the f act that the Winding and unwinding of the chain are positively controllable at all times. Preferably the means of controlling the operation of the hoist is located on the hoist itself with an auxiliary control at the wheel house or other convenient location.

The chain is deposited in a locker and stored below deck, thereby eliminating the danger and unsightliness of storage on deck.

Further objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingszin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of "the several views.

Fig. l perspective view of a vessel with the hoist installed; 7

Fig. '2 is a side elevation of the hoist;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is .a vertical section taken substantially along theline4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taiaen substantially :along the line 5- 5 of Fig.2.

The present invention is intended especially for use on small vessels for hoisting anchors, loading cargo and hauling lines, although ithas other uses as will be readily apparent from the following description. The device is preferably installed on the deck it of such a vessel I! hear the how. The base '12 of the hoist is securely fastened to the deckand the casing I'3 of 'the'hoist is positioned above said base. A cleat it may be mounted on top of casing is for general utility purposes. As herein described, below deck an electric motor "6, although any suitable motor 3 may be employed, said motor having a vertical shaft I! which is coupled to vertical worm shaft 13 by means of a standard coupling I B. Worm shaft 1.! :is suitably 'journa-led within casingdd, 5 suitable ball bearings 2| serving to mount said worm shaft in vertical alignment. Fixed on worm shaft H is worm 2t whichmeshes with worm wheel 23 mounted within casing 153 on horizontal main drive shaft 24,, said wheel .23 being held against axial movement by .set screw 25. A considerable speed reduction is M26011}? plished by means of a very high gearratio, such as, for example, 40 to 1, between worm wheel 23 and worm 22,. Further, theshape of thetteeth of the two meshing gears is almost square and-there is a very slight pitch. Ihus worm wheelie. may be driven from worm 22, and this permits motor 16 to be used as a brake when dropping anchor.

Main :drive shaft 224 "is mounted horizontally and is supported byrbal'l bearings 26. Said shaft :projects out through either end of housing t3. Keyed to one end of shaft 24 exteriorly of hous- .ing 1:3 is a gypsy head 21 ofconventional construction, there being a thrust bearing 23 inter- 25 posed between said gypsy head 2'! and housing I3.

Gypsy head '21 maybe used in the ordinary manner'for hauling lines :toload cargo, pull the vessel toward a dock or the like.

The opposite end of main drive shaft 24 projects out through the opposite end of housing 13. On said shaft is supported wildcat 3!, it being understood that Wildcat SI is not keyed *to shaft 24; but is rotatable with respect thereto. The exterior periphery 32 of said wildcat is formed 5 to receive the anchor chain, there beingrecesses 33 in said periphery for reception of the links -of the anchor chain 34 which recesses are alter nately fiat andon edge, corresponding to the size andarrangement of links. Thus the anchor chain 3% is in continuous and secure engagement with wildcat tl, and as the same revolves, as lilereinafter set forth. chain .34 is wound and unwound.

On opposite sides of the wildcat and keyed to shaft M for axially s'lidable movement are plates 35 and 3? which have annular frictional engagement surfaces 38 iengagea ble with adjacent annular surfaces of wildcat 3 I. Outer friction plate V3:; is held against displacement from shaft by nuts 39 and t [threaded on the outer end :of shaft 24. Inner :fl'iction plate '31 is engaged .by :cam 4,2 with a thrust bearing 43 interposed between plate 3'! and cam 42. Seal-55 fitting withinsannu .lar grooves in-opppsed faces of meinbersv 31 and .42 protects bearing from dama e by Water :cr

other causes. Cam 42 is non-rotatable with respect to shaft 24, but axially slidable with respect thereto. As cam 42 is caused to slide outwardly, it pushes friction plate 31 outwardly and clamps wildcat 3| between plates 36 and 31. Thus as shaft 24 is caused to revolve, wildcat 3| is also caused to revolve. Another feature of the arrangement of the present invention is the fact that wildcat 3| may be caused to revolve at a slower speed than shaft 24 by causing cam 42 to move only partially outwardly, which causes slippage between plates 36 and 37 and wildcat 3|. Plates 36 and 31 being of greater diameter than wildcat 3| function as guides for chain 34, insuring against displacement of said chain. For such purpose the corners of plates 36 and 3'! are chamfered as indicated by reference numeral 44.

Various means may be employed to shift cam 42 axially relative to shaft 24. A preferred means herein illustrated employs a normally horizontal control handle 46 fixed to said cam, said handle being manually operable to twist cam 42 about shaft 24. Housing cover 41 is provided with an annular external surface t8 and cam 42 with an engaging internal annular cam surface 49,

said cam surfaces being spiral or helical. Thus as cam 42 is twisted by manual depression of handle 46, the cam surfaces 48 and 49 cause cam 42 to move axially along shaft 24 outwardly from housing I3 thereby accomplishing the clamping action which causes wildcat 3| to turn. When handle 46 is released, cam 42 retracts and plates 36 and 31 move apart, thereby stopping rotation of wildcat SI. Cover 41 is held on housing by screws 5| and may be removed to permit access to the interior of housing I3 for repair and inspection. When it is desired to drop the anchor, motor I6 is turned off by opening switch 52 located adjacent the hoist and wildcat 3| allowed to turn free. If it is desired to check the speed of the fall of the anchor, handle 46 is depressed, motor I6 acting as a brake, the frictional forces of the various rotating parts serving to slow the descent of the anchor.

The position of cam 42 may be remotely controlled by attachment of handle 46 to a vertically slidable rod 53 which extends downwardly through a gland 54 in base plate l2 and thence below deck IQ, where it is connected to bellcrank 56 and by linkage system 57 leading to the pilot house or other remote position.

Anchor chain 34 may be passed through sheave 5| in the outer end of guide 62 which extends out over the bow of the vessel. Guide 62 is pivotally mounted on pivot 63 to deck Thus the anchor is drawn in by winding chain 34 about wildcat 3| and deposited in a chain locker (not shown) below deck until eye 64 at the top of the anchor engages sheave 6| of guide 62 and causes guide 62 to swing upwardly to assume a position more close to vertical, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1. Limit switch 66 is positioned on deck and arranged so that when guide 62 is raised to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the electric circuit energizing motor I6 is broken.

A connecting housing 1| fixed to motor I6 is screwed into boss 52 in base I2 so as to accurately locate the hoist and motor relative to each other and in proper alignment. Oil seal T3 is provided to retain lubricant within housing It and a thrust bearing 14. is provided to protect motor is from thrust imparted by worm 22 (see Fig. 4).

Inoperation, assuming that the anchor is below water, motor I6 is energizedby closing push button switch 52, and since guide 62 is in horizontal position, limit switch 66 is closed. Rotation of motor l6 causes rotation of drive shaft 24. So long as handle 46 is in horizontal position, wildcat 3| does not revolve, although gypsy head 21 does revolve and may be employed as desired to wind a line for any desired purpose. When it is desired to raise anchor, handle 46 is manually depressed or depressed by remote control. This causes cam 42 to twist relative shaft 24, which forces cam 42 outward and clamps wildcat 3| between plates 35 and 37 which revolve with shaft 24 and thus turn wildcat 3| at the speed of shaft 24. Anchor chain 34 is hauled in and deposited in the chain locker. If it is desired to revolve wildcat 3| at a slower speed, handle 46 is only partially depressed which permits slippage between plates 36 and 3'. and wildcat 3|. Raising of the anchor may be interrupted at any time by releasing handle 46. When the anchor is completely raised it swings guide 62 upward and. opens limit switch F56 which stops motor It. It will further be understood that motor l6 may be stopped at any time by opening control switch 52 of the machine. The anchor is secured in upward position by any convenient latching means.

When it is desired to lower the anchor, the latching means holding the anchor in elevated position is released. The anchor thereupon falls, guide 52 returning to horizontal position, and the anchor is swung out so that it does not damage the bow of the vessel. As the anchor descends it falls free since wildcat 3| is loose on shaft 24. If it is desired to check the fall of the anchor, handle 36 may be depressed; since switch 52 is open the gears 22 and 23 and electric motor l5 serve as a brake to slow wildcat 3|.

As used in the appended claims, the term line includes chains, cables, ropes and the like which may be wound on a winch of the character described. I

though I have described my invention in some detail by way of illustration and example for purpose of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hoist for a line comprising a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said-housing and projecting out through at least one end thereof, a worm wheel in said housing fixed for rotation with said shaft, a driving worm in said housing meshing with said worm wheel, means for rotating said driving worm, the teeth of said worm and worm wheel being substantially square and having slight pitch to enable said worm wheel to be turned by said worm, a stationary annular helical cam on one side of the exterior of said housing, said shaft projecting through and beyond said helical cam, a nut on the outer end of said shaft, a rotatable member loosely mounted on said shaft between said nut and said annular cam, line-engaging means on said rotatable member arranged upon rotation to hoist said line, atleast one friction member longitudinally slidable on said shaft and fixed for rotation therewith, cam means engageable with said annular cam to move said cam means longitudinally of said shaft and force said rotatable member and friction memher into engagement to cause rotation of said rotatable member, a thrust bearing interposed between said cam meansand said friction member, an annular seal surrounding said thrust bearing and sealing against said cam means and said friction member, and manually operable means to control engagement of said cam means and said annular cam.

2. A hoist according to claim 1 which further comprises a second friction member longitudinally slidable on said shaft and fixed for rotation therewith on the opposite side of said r0- tatabie member from said first-mentioned friction member, said cam means being operable to clamp said rotatable member between said friction members to cause rotation of said rotatable member.

ANTONE DOWRELIO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

